About the people who serve us

1:39 PM,
Jan. 8, 2014

Froma Harrop

Written by

Froma Harrop
Columnist

A New York voice boomed from the back of the long car rental line: "Wha'd they do, lay off half the people?"

One of my thoughts no doubt shared by fellow detainees waiting, waiting at the big-name car rental office at a Florida airport. Behind the desk flashed a screen informing us of the company's very high ratings for customer service. I was not the only one smirking.

The problem was not the quality of the employees behind the desk. They performed nobly under strain, all two of them. It turned out that one was stuck wrestling for half an hour with a glitch in a customer's reservation. ...